Conveyer system



Nov. 10, 1936. H. R. PERRY ET AL CONVEYER SYSTEM File O t. 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet l fizvjeizions" flqr akil. Perry fiiiiya,

NOV. 10, 1936. R PERRY ET AL 2,060,744

C'ONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Oct. 30, 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 10, 1936. P ET AL 2,060,744

CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Oct. 30, 1933 1 7 sheets sheet 3 a; f J6 J6 jg a? a? J6 m4 i i 'i Nov. 10, 1936. H. R. PERRY ET AL CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Oct. 30, 1933 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 #:btb bibb me E P67 Nov. 10, 1936. H. R. PERRY ET AL CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Oct. 50, 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 &

Nov. 10, 1936.

H. R. PERRY ET 1.

CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Oct. 30; 1953 1 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 jfzydm fiweiziaiv" Patented Nov. 10, 1936 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONVEYER SYSTEM Harold R. Perry, Swarthmore, Pa., and Chester 8..

Jennings, Syracuse, N. Y., assignors to The Lamson Company, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 30, 1933, Serial No. 695,856

10 Claims. (01. 198-19) This invention relates to an improvement in The cars here shown each comprise a base a conveyer system and has for its primary ob- 30 having a pair of ears 3| projecting upwardly ject the provision of a system comprising a from the top surface, a lever 32 pivotally supplurality of conveyers by which work is transported by the ears 3! on a shaft 33 and a finger ported to a plurality of operators for treatment 3 carried by the lever 32. The lever 32 in- 5 thereby and is thereafter transported from such cludes a pair of sleeves 35, a foot 35 and an arm operators to a predetermined destination. 3i terminating in a yoke 38 by which a roller A further object of this invention is the pro- 39 is supported. The sleeves 35, foot .35, arm vision of cars for the work mounted upon a con- 3'? and yoke 38 may be, as here shown, integral l0 veyer in combination with means controlled by parts of the lever. A spring 40, comprising coils any operator for causing said cars to deliver 4! which surround the sleeves 35, a central loop, the work upon their arrival at such operators which is passed in front of the main body of t tion, the lever 32, and ends 42, which are passed Other objects will appear from a consideration in front of the ears 3!, normally holds the leof the following description and of the accomver and its associated elements in the position 15 panying drawings which form a part thereof shown at the left in Fig. 4, with the foot 35 and in which: resting upon a boss 43 formed in the base 30.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a system embodying The illustrated embodiment is intended to be one form of this invention; used in the transportation of shoe uppers and Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; the finger 34 is accordingly shaped to provide 20 Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken a hanger 44 on which an upper may rest easily along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1, to illustrate the as indicated in dotted lines on Fig. 4. drive end of one conveyer and an intermediate A plurality of cross bars, 45, 46, ll and a pair portion of another conveyer; of rails 48 define an endless track upon which Fig. 4 is a section taken through one of the the cars travel. The cars are supported in the 25 stations of the system showing one car inthe track by the rails 48 which enter grooves suitwork carrying position and a portion of anably formed in the sides of the bases 30. Pivother car in the work delivering position; otally secured to each car base so near the lead- Fig. 5 is a plan view of a typical station; ing end thereof is a yoked post 49 which is at- Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate in elevation two eletached to the chain 25 and by which the cars 30 ments of the system; are drawn along the track and around the ends Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate in side elevation and thereof. In order to permit the free travel of plan respectively a system embodying a secthe posts around the sprockets with the chain,

0nd form of this invention; suitably located gaps are provided in the edges Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating of the sprockets to receive the posts. 35 a station on one conveyer and the driving end Arranged at intervals along the upper conof another conveyer of said second embodiveyer are stations 55 at which the work is rement; ceived from and delivered to the fingers 34. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the station disclosed Each station comprises a platform 5| which in Fig. 10 and a car approaching such staextends across the frame into the path of travel 40 tion; and of the cars 28 the rollers 39 thereof passing Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a car. freely over the platform. The platform 5i (see The system shown in Figs. 1 to '7 inclusive Fig. 5) is substantially rectangular and is supcomprises a primary conveyer 2t and a secported upon a pillar 52 (see Fig. 4). Two cross ondary conveyer 2!, said conveyers overlapping bars are fixed to flanges 53 projecting down- 4.5 vertically and being supported in a suitable wardly from the front and rear edges of. the frame over a work table 23. Rectangles 24 inplatform. In the platform is provided, adjacent dicate diagrammatically the location of operthe front and rear edges, an elongated ovate ators benches arranged longitudinally at either aperture 55 and a circular aperture 55. Between side of the conveyers. The conveyer 20 com the head sprocket 2B and the platform of the 50 prises an endless chain 25 which is supported station nearest such sprocket is mounted the by head and foot sprockets 26, 21 and travels cross bar 46 (see Fig. 7) which is secured to in a horizontal plane. Fixed to the chain 25 and spans the rails 48. The cross bars 47 (see at predetermined distances apart are cars 28 Fig. 6) are secured to a side pair of rails 48 5 by which work in progress is transported. at the other side of the right station and at 55 both sides of the other stations. Each of these cross bars includes an arm 56 which projects over the rails 48 and serves as a support on which is pivoted a cam piece 51 which forms a part of a car actuating mechanism described hereinbelow.

Each cam piece 51 is pivotally secured at one end to an arm 56 and upon the other end, which rests upon the platform 5|, is secured a cam. plate 56. As shown in the drawings each station 56 with the exception of that at the left end in Fig. 1 is provided with two cam pieces but since the con struction and operation of the pieces is the same only one will be described in detail although the same reference characters will be applied in the drawings to corresponding elements of other pieces. Fixed in the aperture 55 is a stud 59 and through the aperture 54 extends a rod 66. The upper end of the rod 66 is connected by links 6| and 62 respectively to the stud 59 and to a stud 63 carried by a tongue 64 projecting toward the rod 66 from the cam piece 51 adjacent the outer end of the cam plate 58.

Each rod 66 extends through a hole in the top 66 of the table 23 and is held normally in the upper or inoperative position by a spring 6'! surrounding the rod between two washers 68. The rod is drawn down to the operative position by any suitable means under the control of an operator. For example a cord I6 passed around pulleys "II is connected at one end to a loop I2 at the lower end of the rod and at the other end to a bar I3 hinged to the table adjacent the operator in such position that it may be tripped by the operators knee. The lowering of the rod 66 shifts the cam piece 51 on its pivot until the cam plate 58 is brought into the path of travel of a car, the result being that it engages a roller 39 and tilts the lever 32 into the position shown at the right in Fig. 4 and the work is delivered all as will be pointed out hereinbelow in the description of the operation.

The head sprocket 26 (see Fig. 3) is mounted upon a shaft I5 supported in bearings carried by the table top 66, and driven from any suitable source of power as for example through the wheel I6. Surrounding the shaft I5 above the table is a tube 11 supported on a standard I8 carried by the table 66. Fixed to the tube I1 is a platform I9 on which is supported a cross bar 86 the ends of which support the outer rail 48. The sprocket 26 includes a hub BI and sleeve 82 fixed to the shaft I5. Resting upon the sleeve 82 is a bracket 83 which supports the inner rail 48. Fittings 84 in the cross bar 86 and bracket 83 permit the introduction of grease or other lubricant to the shaft I5.

The secondary conveyer 2| comprises two parallel endless belts 96 which travel in parallel vertical planes, the upper runs passing through troughs 9| supported above the table top 66 at opposite sides of the pillars 52 and tube 'I'I upon cross brackets 92. The belts travel about head and foot pulleys 93, 94 driven from any suitable source of power (not shown) as through a drive wheel 95 attached to the head pulley 93. Suitably located idler rollers 96 supported by the brackets 92 bear against the lower runs of the belts and insure the proper tension thereof.

The illustrated embodiment is, as pointed out above, adapted for use in the stitching room of a shoe factory for transporting uppers and other parts of shoes between operators. The conveyers may travel in either direction but for ease in description it may be assumed that the primary conveyer travels in a clockwise direction and that the upper run of the secondary conveyer, referring to Fig. 1', travels from left to right. The operator at bench 24 in the upper left hand corner of Fig. 1 places uppers (see Fig. 4) upon the hangers 44 of the cars as they pass. The succeeding operator ready to treat an upper presses the station bar I3 adjacent her bench to depress the rod 66 and swing cam plate 58 of that station into the path of travel of a loaded car. As the car travels through the station the swung cam plate raises the lever of the car and tips the finger 34 so that the work thereon drops off the hanger onto the operators bench. After the upper has been stitched or otherwise treated, if other operations are to be performed upon it the upper is placed upon the empty hanger of a passing car by which it is transported. As this car approaches the station in front of the bench at which a further operation is to be performed the operator if ready depresses a rod 66 and causes the work to drop from the car in the manner just described. When the operations on the upper have been completed it is dropped by the finishing operator upon one of the belts 96 of the secondary conveyer. The belt carries the upper away from the table 23 and drops it into a box or other receptacle (not shown) beyond the head pulley 93. It will be noted that the cars normally travel undisturbed and that in case an operator is not ready to treat certain uppers such uppers may be represented to that operators bench until removed from the cars.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive is generally similar to that previously described but differs therefrom in certain features which will be described in detail. This system comprises a primary conveyer I26, a secondary conveyer I2I a tertiary conveyer I22, and a table I23 along the sides of which are provided, longitudinally of the conveyers, work benches I24 for the operators.

The conveyers I26 and I2I like the conveyer 26 of the previously described embodiment each comprise an endless chain I25 which travels in a horizontal plane about a head sprocket I26 and a foot sprocket I27. Longitudinally spaced cars I28 are secured to the chains, each car comprising a base I29, having grooves I36 in the edges thereof, ears I3I carried by the platform, a lever I32 pivotally supported on a shaft I33 carried by the ears, and a finger I34 carried by the lever. The lever I32 includes a pair of sleeves I35, a foot I36 and an arm I3? terminating in a yoke I38 by which a roller I39 is supported. The sleeves I35, foot I36, arm I31 and yoke I38 may or may not be integral with the lever. Mounted upon the lever I32 is a pan I46. As will be pointed out below, the work is carried by the cars either on the fingers I34 or in the pans I46.

Mounted upon crossbars I4I, suitably spaced along the path of travel of the conveyer chains, are rails I42 which form an annular track for the cars. As shown particularly in Fig. 10, the rails enter the grooves I36 formed in the edges of the base I29 and thus control the travel of the cars around the track. Depending from the base I29 near the leading end thereof is a pivotally mounted post I43 terminating in a yoke by which the post is attached to the chain I25 so that the car is drawn along the rails I42.

Arranged at intervals along the primary and secondary conveyers in front of the work benches I24 are stations I56 at which the work is received from and delivered to the cars I28. Each station I56 like the stations 56 of the previously described embodiment comprises a platform I 5I having elongated ovate apertures I54 and circular apertures I55 and cam pieces I51. The cam pieces one at each side of the platform rest on the platform and are pivotally secured thereto at one end by a pin I56. Fixed in the apertures I 55 are studs I59 and through the apertures I54 extend rods I60, the upper ends of which are connected by links [GI and I62 to the studs I59 and to studs I63 carried by tOngues I64 projecting from the cam pieces I51. The rods I are normally held in the upper position by springs I61 and may be drawn down to the lower position by means of hinged bars I13 so located that they may be tripped by the knees of the operators. The normal position of the cam pieces I51 is out of the path of travel of the cars as shown at the left in Fig. 11. When a rod I60 is drawn down by the tripping of a bar I13 the cam member associated therewith is swung into the path of travel of the cars, as shown at the right in Fig. 11. The roller of the approaching car follows the path defined by the cam piece so that the contents of the pan I40 are dumped onto the work bench of the operator who tripped the bar I13.

The tertiary conveyer I 22 here shown comprises pairs of conveyer belts I15 arranged to travel in troughs I16 in vertically parallel planes and driven from a suitable source of power (not shown). The head pulleys I26 are also driven by any suitable means.

As indicated on Fig. 9 the illustrated embodiment is adapted for use in the stitching room of a shoe factory where the operations designated as Vamp, Braid and Fold are performed. The group designated by Vamp place work in the cars of the primary conveyer I20; the group designated by Braid receive the work from cars of the primary conveyer I20 and place it in the cars of the secondary conveyer I2I and the group designated by Fold receive the work from the cars of the secondary conveyer I2I and place it on one of the conveyer belts I15 of the tertiary conveyer I22.

As the operators complete the vamping operation the uppers are hung on the fingers I34 and any miscellaneous parts or material are placed in the pans I40 of the continuously traveling cars by which they are carried to the operators at the braiding stations. When an operator at a braiding station is ready for more work the bar I13 is tripped so that the next car arriving at that station will dump the uppers on the finger and parts in the pan upon the bench. After the braiding operation is completed the uppers are again hung on the fingers I34 and any other parts placed in the pans I40 of cars on the conveyer I2I carried by the cars to the benches of the folding operators and dumped at the benches of those operators who have tripped the bars I13. As these operators finish their work the uppers are placed on one of the conveyer belts I15 of the conveyer I22 and delivered thereby to a container or receptacle not shown.

While certain embodiments and uses of this invention have been shown and described, we are not limited thereto since other embodiments and uses may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. I

We claim:

1. A conveyer comprising an endless chain traveling in a horizontal plane, a track, a plurality of cars pivotally secured to said chain, said cars including a base, an article-carrying member pivotally secured thereto, and a roller fixed to said member, means for actuating said chain and causing it to move said cars around said track, and a station past which said cars travel, said station including a cam piece normally out of the path of travel of the cars, and means for moving the cam piece into such path so that, as a car passes the station, the cam piece engages the roller of the car and tilts the article-carrying member thereof to dump the load thereon at said station.

2. A conveyer comprising an endless chain traveling in a horizontal plane, a track, a plurality of cars pivotally secured to said chain, said cars including a base, an article-carrying member pivotally secured thereto, and a roll-er fixed to said member, means for actuating said chain and causing it to move said cars around said track, and a station past which said cars travel, said station including a platform, a cam piece pivoted thereto and movable into and out of the path of travel of the cars past said station, means for normally holding said cam out of such path and means for moving said cam piece into such path, so that, as a car passes the station, the cam piece engages the roller of the car and tilts the article-carrying member thereof to dump the load thereon at said station.

3. A conveyer comprising an endless chain traveling in a horizontal plane, a track formed by continuous rails, a plurality of cars pivotally secured to said chain, said cars including a base having grooves therein which receive said rails, an article-carrying member pivotally secured to said base and a roller fixed to said member,

means for actuating said chain and causing it to move said cars around said track with the bases thereof in engagement with said rails, and a station past which said cars travel, said station including a platform which projects over said rails into the path of travel of said cars, a cam piece resting upon said platform and movable thereover into and out of the path of travel of the cars, means normally holding said cam piece out of such path and means for moving said cam piece into such path, so that, as a car passes the station, the cam piece engages the roller of the car and tilts the article-carrying member thereof to dump the load thereon at said station.

4. A conveyer comprising an endless chain traveling in a horizontal plane, a track formed by continuous rails, a plurality of cars pivotally secured to said chain, said cars including a base having grooves therein which receive said rails, an article-carrying member pivotally secured to said base and a roller fixed to said member, means for actuating said chain and causing it to move said cars around said track with the bases thereof in engagement with said rails, and a station past which said cars travel, said station including a platform which projects over said rails into the path of travel of said cars, a pivotally mounted cam piece resting upon said platform and movable thereover into and out of the path of travel of the cars, means normally holding said cam piece out of such path and means for moving said cam piece into such path, so that, as a car passes the station, the cam piece engages the roller of the car and tilts the articlecarrying member thereof to dump the load thereon at said station.

5. A conveyer comprising an endless chain traveling in a horizontal plane, a track therefor including a pair of parallel rails between which the chain travels, a plurality of cars secured to said chain and riding upon said track rails, each said car including a base located between the rails and an article carrying member movably secured to said base and normally held in an operable position and including an outwardly projecting arm, means for causing the chain to move the cars along the track, stations past which said cars travel, each of said stations including a platform over which the arm of the article-carrying member passes freely, and means movable over the platform from an idle position to a position of engagement with the arm to tilt positively the member upon the arrival of the car causing the member to dump any load thereon at the station.

6. A conveyer comprising an endless chain traveling in a horizontal plane, a track therefor including a pair of parallel rails between which the chain travels, a plurality of cars secured to said chain and riding upon said track rails, each said car including a base located between the rails and an article carrying member movably secured to said base and normally held in an operable position and including an outwardly projecting arm, means for causing the chain to move the cars along the track, stations past which said cars travel, each of said stations including a platform over which the arm of the article-carrying member passes freely, and a cam movable over the platform from an idle position to a position in which it positively engages the arm and positively tilts the member upon the arrival of the car causing the member to dump any load thereon at the station.

7. A conveyer comprising an endless chain traveling in a horizontal plane, a track therefor including a pair of parallel rails between which the chain travels, a plurality of cars secured to said chain and riding upon said track rails, each said car including a base located between the rails and an article carrying member pivotally secured to said base and normally held in an operable position and including an outwardly projecting arm and a roller carried thereby, means for causing the chain to move the cars along the track, stations past which said cars travel, each of said stations including a platform over which the arm and roller of the article carrying member pass freely and means movable over the platform from an idle position to a position of engagement with the roller to tilt positively the member upon the arrival of a car causing the member to dump any load thereon at the station.

8. A conveyer comprising an endless chain traveling in a horizontal plane, a track therefor including a pair of parallel rails between which the chain travels, a plurality of cars secured to said chain and riding upon said track rails, each said car including a base located between the rails and an article carrying member pivotally secured to said base and normally held in an operable position and including an outwardly projecting arm and a roller carried thereby, means for causing the chain to move the cars along the track, stations past which said cars travel, each of said stations including a platform over which the arm and roller of the article carrying member pass freely and a cam movable over the platform from an idle position to a position in which it engages the roller and positively tilts the member upon the arrival of a car causing the member to dump any article thereon at the station.

9. A conveyer comprising an endless chain traveling in a horizontal plane, a track therefor including a pair of parallel rails between which the chain travels, a plurality of cars secured to said chain and riding upon said track rails, each said car including a base located between the rails and having grooves in the sides thereof which receive the rails, an article-carrying membe pivotally secured to the base and normally held in an operable position and a foot carried by said member and resting upon said base when the member is in its normal position, means for causing said chain to move the cars along the a track, stations past which said cars travel, each of said stations including a platform over which a portion of the article-carrying member of the car passes freely, and means movable over the platform from an idle position to a position of engagement with that portion of the member to tilt the latter upon the arrival of the car and cause it to dump any load thereon at the station.

10. A conveyer comprising an endless chain traveling in a horizontal plane, a track therefor including a pair of parallel rails between which the chain travels, a plurality of cars pivotally secured to said chain and riding upon the track rails, said cars each including a base, located between the rails, an article-carrying member pivotally secured to the base, and a foot carried by said member and normally resting upon said base, means for actuating said chain and causing the latter to move the cars along said track,

stations past which said cars travel, each of said stations including a platform over which a portion of the car passes freely when the foot rests upon the base and means movable thereover by which the article-carrying member is tilted to dump the load thereon.

HAROLD R. PERRY. CHESTER. S. JENNINGS. 

